Female black Labs

Question
I am thinking about getting a brand new female black lab. But i was wondering how they are with children. I have a one year old son and am trying to get pregnant. are these good dogs to have around chilren? Also my neughbor has 2 dogs both part husky part chow. Both female! will they get along? and are female black labs a good dog to have in the house?

Answer
Dogs vary so much within a breed that I can't promise you any one you get will be what you want.  I can say that you might be better off with a male.  Males can be a problem, but you shouldn't have behavior problems with a well bred, neutered male.  Dig back into the archives here, and you will see people having problems with females too.  A male is less likely to have problems getting along with the neighbor's females.  

A male should be fine with the children, if anything they are more playful and affectionate.  How well a dog tolerates things like children and other dogs has a lot to do with its early socialization, 6-12 weeks being very important.  A dog that stays in a kennel too long may never be fit to live with a family in a house.  

One of the best sources for dogs with a predictable personality is the rescue
dogs.  These are dogs that lost their home, but were taken into a foster home
to be retrained as necessary and placed in the right home for them.  You may
find a rescue near you starting at
http://www.akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm  The rescues charge a fee to help cover their expenses, but is much less than the price of a puppy plus all its medical expenses the first year.  

Labs shed.  Count on spending time brushing any one you get and sweeping up hair.  If your wardrobe runs to lighter colors. perhaps think about a yellow Lab.